


Buzz Cut

by Lastavica



Series: The Days Ahead [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Autumn, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Clint Barton's Farm, Clint and Laura Barton's Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Haircuts, Healing, Home, Hurt/Comfort, I Made Myself Cry, Moving On, Nature, One Shot, Peace, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Starting Over, bye bye mohawk, quiet moments, tho I won't pretend I don't love it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:13:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28483698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lastavica/pseuds/Lastavica
Summary: Clint asks Laura to cut his hair.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Laura Barton
Series: The Days Ahead [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2192214
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	Buzz Cut

A week after Stark's funeral the Barton crew were at home on the farm taking it easy together. It was a warm fall afternoon, bright sunshine and crunchy leaves. Lila was off reading and Laura had wrangled Nate for a haircut. He sat squirming in a chair on the front porch while she took aim at his unruly mop. The electric clippers whirred as his dark hair fell lightly to the floorboards. Cooper was in the barn working on his newest (started five years before) carpentry project. Every so often the sound of the power saw or hammer would carry over. Geese honked in the sky above as they headed south for the coming winter. Out over the tree line, smaller birds were flocking up for the same purpose. Their chorus of ruckus chirping reached all the way across the field.

Sitting on the steps, just listening and being close, was Clint. Leaning into the sounds of his home and family was how he'd been spending most of his time since the world started over. He was never far away from them and Laura understood. As much as she could, she understood.

"All done." He heard his wife finally tell his youngest. Nate hopped eagerly off the chair and landed with a little thud.

"Lemme see, bud." Clint said over his shoulder. His son came over and he ruffled his freshly trimmed hair. "Looks good, man."

Nate smiled then jumped off the porch and ran toward the barn to help (observe) his big brother work. Clint watched him disappear into the barn. Then his eyes roamed to where Lila was reading. She was lying on her back on top of the picnic table, knees up and her book held up above her face. He didn't know how her arms weren't hurting in that position, but that was his girl. He could see the toes of her sneakers tapping lightly on the table top. Later he would ask her what she was reading.

Behind him Laura shook Nate's hair out of the plastic cape. She took the broom and began to sweep the hair off the edge of the porch and into the grass.

"My turn?" Clint asked quietly, still looking out over across the field.

The rythmic sweeping stopped. He heard the broom handle tap as she leaned it against the porch rail beside him and he looked up to see her there.

"Step right up." She said.

He rose and went to sit in the chair. With a tiny appreciative smile he told her "Thank you."

With a smile of her own and without a word she put cape around him and snapped it in the back.

He closed his eyes as she ran her fingers through the thick mass of hair down the middle of his head. It felt so good to be touched. From the moment he'd lost her until he took Natasha's hand on that rainy Tokyo street, the only touch he experienced was violence. For a second he felt like crying and another moment passed as she continued to play with his hair.

"So," she finally asked. "What do you want me to do with it?"

He thought about it for a few seconds and then answered. "Buzz it."

"You're sure?" she asked. It was a bit of an open secret that she didn't love the hairdo but she still wanted to make certain this was what he really wanted.

He nodded. "It has to go."

"Alright."

Laura went to work with the clippers. Clint blew hair from his lips as it fell in front of him. His neck began to itch, but he remained still. When she was finished she removed the cape and rubbed a damp towl over his face and neck. That took care of some of the itchiness. Then, she ran her hands all over his bristley head. Again, Clint closed his eyes, taking so much comfort in her touch.

She came in front to inspect her work. "I like it."

He smiled. "Me too."

"You haven't even seen it."

"It doesn't matter." he said and she knew what he meant.

He stood up and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you." he whispered.

"You're welcome."

As she held him, her fingers grazed back and forth across his newly shorn hair. Clint kept his eyes closed and his face pressed gently against the side of hers. Another flock of geese passed overhead and a bout laughter from their sons could be heard off in the barn. A little breeze caught the wind chimes and Clint couldn't stop the tears from escaping the corners of his eyes.


End file.
